Masters of Art - John Constable by Constable John

Author:Constable, John
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Delphi Classics
Published: 2015-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

“September 13th.

“... In the evening went to Mr. Northcote’s, and had a delightful conversation about painting, &c. It is wonderful to see him with all the energy of youth. His eye sparkling so bright and so sharp....”

September 16th.

“This morning a grand epoch was ushered in by a prodigious bustle with the fowls in the garden; the black hen making a great to-do, the cock strutting about, and Billy, the cat, looking at them in great astonishment from the back kitchen window. When all was a little quiet, I looked into the brew-house, and saw her on the nest I had made, and at breakfast Elizabeth brought me a beautiful egg, probably the first ever laid in these premises. How much we have changed this house from what it was in Mr. Farrington’s time: his attics turned into nurseries, a beautiful baby born in his bedroom, his washhouse turned into a brew-house, his back parlour — which contained all his prints — into a bedroom, and his painting-rooms made habitable; well done! Billy is a most laughable cat: he plays with the kit, pulls it out of its basket, tosses it up, and holds it with his fore feet in a most ridiculous manner; the old Lady Hampstead looking on all the while, rather smiling than otherwise.

“Sir George Beaumont called. He liked what I was about, but wanted me to imitate pictures.... Took poor Mrs. H — her money. I was told she was ill and in bed. How sadly this poor artist’s widow closes her days. Fortune seems indeed blind to give Miss Mellon so much, and this poor widow, who is really a gentlewoman, so little. I went to the back drawing-room to see how Johnny was getting on, and a dear little robin was washing himself in the pigeon’s dish at the window; dipping himself all over and making such a dashing and shaking, and bobbing, and bustle, that it was quite ridiculous. One comes to Mr. Bigg’s garden and sings every night and morning quite loud and beautiful. Does not this portend a hard winter? We do a great deal of painting, not going out, and I am getting my small commissions off my hands as fast as I can. I will do as you advise—’ not undertake little things, but keep to my large pictures.’ But I must make my mind easy as to those I have on hand — namely, ‘Salisbury Cathedral,’ Mr. Carpenter’s picture, Mr. Ripley’s, Mr. Arrowsmith’s, and Mr. Mirehouse’s picture to be altered. All these are paid for, and one more fortnight will clear them all off. How comfortable I shall then be. I am making my last picture saleable, getting the outline on the ‘Waterloo,’ &c.”

“Sunday, October 2nd.

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